Means for clamping fences to stretcher-jacks.



A. 6: 0. A. CHURCH.

MEANS FOR GLAMPING FENCES TO STRETGHER JAUKS.

APPLICATION FILED P111315, 1909.

Patented May 31, 1910.

ENVE. NTGR S 'WITN E5555 6:

the count UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- ANDREW CHURCH AND CHARLES A. cHURcH, 0F ADRIAN, MICHIGAN.

,MEANS FOR. CLAMPING FENCES 'ro STRETCHER-JACKS.

To all whom vz't may concern:

Be it known that we, ANDREW CHURtar and CiiAnLnsA. CHURCH, citizens of-the United Statedand residents of Adrian, in

ofLenawee and State of Michigan,'have' invented a certain new and useful Means for Clamping Fences to Stretcher- Jacks; and .we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled ,in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the. accompanying drawings, and to the Specification of Letters Patent. P tented Application filed February 15, 1909. Serial No; 477,844.

figures. of reference marked thereon, whichform a part of this specification.

Our invention relates 'to fence stretchers of the class employed more particularly for use in connection with the stretching of'woven wire fences, but may be used for the stretching of picket or other kinds of fences in which line wires are employed.

The object of our invention is the provision, in combination with-,the jacks of stretchers of this class, of simple and efficient means for securely clamping a fence thereto,

, which means is of strong and economical construction, is capable of being easily and quickly operated to engage on. release a fence, and enables a fence to be stretched to within the length of the jack from the post to which such jack is attached, thus enhancing the practicability and commercial valueof stretchers of this classQ The operation, construction and arrangement of the parts of the invention are fully described in the following specificatioln'and while such invention in its broader aspect is capable offbeingsembodied in numerous forms, a "preferred form and two modifications' of theflsame. are illustrated in 11m accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 isa side elevation of a stretcher" embodying the preferred form of our invention and'in operative connection with a fence and post. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same. Fig. 3 is .a plan view of a stretcher embodying another 'formof our invention, and Fig. 4 is a similar View of a portion of a jack partly in section embody- {ing still'another form of our invention.

Our invention in its broad aspect consists in providing a stretcher-jackwith a receptacle or socket for receiving a fence-clampmg bar and wlth means for causing a companion clamping-bar to cooperate with the socket fitting bar to securely grip a fence.

In Figs. land 2, in which the preferred May 31, v1910.

form of the invention is shown, 1 designates 1 a stretcher-jack of any suitable construction,

in the forked end of which is mounted the customary chain ,drum 2 and operating parts. In one side of ,the jack preferably near the closed end of the fork-thereof, is

provided a transverse. receptacle .or groove 3 of suitable shape to receive an angle-iron,

channel-iron or other form of damp-bar 4,;-

lar shape to the bar 4 is intended to. fit therein and to cooperate therewith to gri an interposed fabric 6. The means emp oyed in 4 as shown. Acompanion clamp-bar 5 of simi this ,form of our invention for forcing the clamp-bars together to grip a fabric consistsin the provision of a lever-bar 7 which is preferably formed on, its inner side near one end with a boss 8 fashionedto fit into has such ,.end removablyhooked within a justed relative to the ack b aturning' of the securing nut-s 10. The ree end of the lever-bar 7 is shown as being formed with a plurality of stepped notches 11 with any one the hollow dr angle of the clamp-bar 5 and v of which the looped end of a bail or loop" member 12, which is swingingly attached to the contiguous side of the jack fork, as at.

12, may be engaged to hold the lever-ban in clamped position. The steppedarrangementof the notches llallows for a variation inthe thickness of fence Wires clamped by the bars 4,5. The provision ofclamp-bars which-are shaped so as to enable one 'tofit within the other causes a crimp to be formed in the warp or line ,wires of a fence at the 0o point of bite of the clamp-bars, thereby more effectually securing the fence again slipping between the clamp bars than would otherwise be the case.

The modification shown in Fig. 4 is similar to the form above described, except that the outer clamp-bar 5,,in'steadof being held to its seat in the companion-bar 4 by a leverbar 7, is acted on by a set-screw 13', which is threaded'through a bar 1 4 thathas its ends pasiied within loops 15, 15' carried by the ac In l'ig. 3 the fork-arms of the jack, which;

- and acts in; similar manner to the are designated 16 and 17, are hinged togroove 19 for'a'clamp-bar to seat in, whilet e other is provided'with a complemental boss or projection 20 adapted to fit-.into the hollow or angle of the companion clamp-bar,

. rbar' 7 of the first mentioned form. When the arm 17 is swung outwardly from the contiguous' trunnions of the chalndrum 2 and operating 'Ea'rts, such drum and arts are supported; y the other'arm 16.

1 tion are locked against opening'or relative movements by a dog or latch-member 21 which engages the shouldered end 22 of the I drum shaft or trunnion. 20

the 'operationof our invention the clamp-.bars and 5 are placed in opposing! engagement with the fence to be stretche and then placed between the clamping .parts of the jack, one b'ar fittin with n the receptacl'e or socket provider? therefor in the jack body and the other bar being pressed.

closely to the receptacle fittin bar to grip and firmly hold the fence there tween when the lever members 7 or 17 are closed relative to their companion clamping-parts or the set-screw 13'is screwed inwardly, as the'case may be. .The lever-bar 7 is securely held in clamped osition by the engagement of the bail mem r 12 with the pro or notch 11' of such bar. The jack havin en clamped to the fence, ,a tightening c ain' 23' is attached at one end other end stretcher, t us adapting a turning. of; the drum in the space between the post and stretcher and a consequent tightening of the attachedfence. I

It is apparent that our improved fence clamping means enables a fence to be 'pped or released thereby with very much ess troubleand greater rapidity than 'is possible with the means heretofore employed for such purpose,

used to-clamp t e bars together is obvi and also that our clamping means eliminates the use of individual clamping parts, for the several linewires of a fence and'the bormg clamp-bars or char ca clam ing partsfthus very materially reduc-v ing e cost of manufacture of devices of this class. It isalso evident that by securing the clamp-bars directly to the stretcherhe arms- 16 and 1-7 when in clamped or closed posi-' I 4 of arelampmg part carried thereb'fi clamp. a set of to a post 24 and has-its}:- assed over the drum 2 ofq the roper dlrection to eflect' -ya;f shortening oft e as the insertion or removal of the clampin bolts which are ordinarily ate of a large number of bolt-holes in the v the individual jack it is possible to stretch a fence .much closer to a than is possible where the clamplng means is secured to a fence at some distance from a jack and connected to the jack or the chain drum by a chain, as iscustomarily the case. iv We\wish it understood that our invention is arran ement of the parts 'exce t in so-far assuc limitations are s ecified-inthe claims.

Having thus described we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is, v

1. The combination with a stretcher-jack, at one side thereof, and a set of n'orma loose fence'clamping bars adapted to be amped 'ogether by the cooperating action of said part and jack and being-capable of longitudinal adjustment relative to the jack. v

2. A-stretcher 'ack having two relatively movable parts having complemental protuberant and recessed c tions, and a set of normallyloose clampars carried by parts. y 3. A fence stretcher-jack having two relatively movable parts which cooperate to c ampingbars together, an adjustable swinging fulcrumamember connecting said arts at one end, means connecting the ot post to which the jack is attached our invention, what amp-bar engaging orand clamped together by said.

erend of said parts adapted I to permit relative longitudinal movements thereof, and said parts. v 4. A fence-streteher-jack having fence clamping bars held by a part fence-clamping bar seated in said socket, and a companion clamping-bar in engagement tuberance. 4 a 5. A fence stretcher jack having a part provided with a socket, a part movable relative to said socketed part and havinga protube'ra'nce complemental to said socket,,a-

.with and held to its-companion by said prohinge'dly connected to one side thereof and movable to cooperate with the jack to clamp a pair of interposed fence clampin bars together, and a cooperating bail an stepped surface for adjustably securing said part in clamped position.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. ANDREW CHURCH.

Witnesses: I

SUsm W. Somnumnn, D. B. MORGAN.

CHARLES A. CHURCH. 

